What Is An Antenna Tuning Unit?

An antenna tuning unit, more commonly known as an antenna tuner

, is a device that is connected between a transmitter or receiver (depending on your application) and its antenna.

The ATU is there to improve the efficiency of the power transfer between these two points. It does this by matching the "impedance" of the transmitter/receiver to the antenna.

Impedance is basically the measure of resistance a circuit presents to the passage of current when voltage is applied.

In numerical terms, impedance consists of a complex ratio of voltage to current in an AC, or alternating current circuit. This value is known as the "Standing Wave Ratio," or SWR.

What the antenna tuner does is match your transmitter/receiver with a fixed impedance. It transforms the impedance at your antennas output to a value, or ratio of voltage to current, that your transceiver can handle.

The antenna tuner takes the impedance of the antenna (up to its limits of course) and attempts to convert it back to 50 ohms, which is the value most transceivers can operate at. The tuner has no effect on the SWR between it and the antenna, it is only the SWR between the antenna tuning unit and the transmitter/receiver that changes.

In laymans terms, an antenna tuner is comparable to a cable or satellite box. Your TV cannot process the signal coming through the wires and into your home directly. A box you connect between your TV and the cable outlet in your wall converts this signal into a different format that is usable by your TV.

While an ATU unit is a bit more complicated, that is the really basic idea.

Without an antenna tuning unit, the transmitter/receiver simply wont work unless the impendence between it and the antenna matches, which is rare. Besides being able to use your transceiver in most cases, an ATU also allows you to use a broad range of frequencies on one antenna. This of course saves you money and eliminates the need to have multiple antennas cluttering your roof top or property.

Antenna tuning units are used for a wide variety of broadcast and non-broadcast RF applications.

High-power shortwave broadcasting applications are by far one of the oldest. Since wave bands change frequently, an antenna tuner is needed to ensure seamless broadcasting and receiving.

Again, an antenna tuning unit is an important component for any high-end broadcast or non-broadcast application. Making sure your antenna and transceiver can "talk" to each other is absolutely critical.

If they can not, then it is likely that you will only hear fuzz, if anything at all.

by: Edward Jules Goodman

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